Irene Preston's Blog, page 3
August 17, 2016
Vespers Pre-Order + $25 Gift Card Giveaway
Send to Kindle
Killing demons may save his soul, but keeping the faith will cost him his heart.
Vespers is already up for preorder on most sites. Current price is $2.99 through the first week of release. After that it will go up to the regular $3.99 price.
Scroll on down to enter the giveaway!
More About Vespers | Buy Now | Excerpt
Where to Buy Vespers
Amazon | ARe | Kobo | IBooks | B&N | More Stores
More about the Hours of the Night Series
Giveaway: $25 Gift Card + 7 Queer Paranormal Romances
Okay, here’s what you get if you win!
$25 Gift Certificate to Amazon, AllRomanceEbooks, or Barnes and Noble
$25 of Free Reads on us!
THE BOOKS – some of my very favorites in here, y’all. Make sure to check them out!
Stygian by Santino HassellVampires!
Iron and Velvet by Alexis Hall
Vampires!
Iron and Velvet on the author website
Payback by Jordan Castillo PriceVampires!
Stripped with the Vampire by Jax GarrenVampires!
Stripped with the Vampire in Stores
Stripped with the Vampire on the author website
Stripped with the Vampire on Goodreads
A Time to Rise by Tal BauerVampires!
A Time to Rise on the author website
Merrick
by Claire CrayVampires!
Best in Show
by Kelly JensenCat shifter!
(okay one of these things is not like the others, but it’s adorable, and queer, and paranormal. You won’t regret it)
Best in Show on the author website
Don’t forget to show a little love by visiting the authors above who were generous enough to contribute these fabulous paranormal romances!
Vespers $0.99 Pre-Order + $25 Gift Card Giveaway
Send to Kindle
Killing demons may save his soul, but keeping the faith will cost him his heart.
Vespers is already up for preorder on most sites at a special $0.99 price. Guys, this price will NOT last until release day. There will still be a little discount on release, but the $0.99 price is for a short period only. This is 75% off the regular price of $3.99. Liv and I do this mostly for our existing, loyal readers – so make sure you don’t miss out!
More About Vespers | Buy Now | Excerpt
Where to Buy Vespers
Amazon | ARe | Kobo | IBooks | B&N | More Stores
More about the Hours of the Night Series
Giveaway: $25 Gift Card + 7 Queer Paranormal Romances
Okay, here’s what you get if you win!
$25 Gift Certificate to Amazon, AllRomanceEbooks, or Barnes and Noble
$25 of Free Reads on us!
THE BOOKS – some of my very favorites in here, y’all. Make sure to check them out!
Stygian by Santino HassellVampires!
Iron and Velvet by Alexis Hall
Vampires!
Iron and Velvet on the author website
Payback by Jordan Castillo PriceVampires!
Stripped with the Vampire by Jax GarrenVampires!
Stripped with the Vampire in Stores
Stripped with the Vampire on the author website
Stripped with the Vampire on Goodreads
A Time to Rise by Tal BauerVampires!
A Time to Rise on the author website
Merrick
by Claire CrayVampires!
Best in Show
by Kelly JensenCat shifter!
(okay one of these things is not like the others, but it’s adorable, and queer, and paranormal. You won’t regret it)
Best in Show on the author website
Don’t forget to show a little love by visiting the authors above who were generous enough to contribute these fabulous paranormal romances!
August 16, 2016
Vespers Cover Reveal Today!
Send to Kindle
I have been sitting on my hands for the past few weeks to keep from showing this off! Head over to Heroes and Heartbreakers to check out the Vespers cover!
August 15, 2016
1st peek at Thaddeus Dupont TODAY for $0.99
Send to KindleI know everyone is excited for the Vespers release (only a few weeks!). If you want a little glimpse of 1933 Thaddeus you can get your fix with the NOLA Naughty 9 anthology which includes Liv’s story, Change of Heart. Thaddeus makes a cameo appearance as the mysterious, wealthy gentlemen who comes to Clarabelle’s aid. Today is release day for NOLA Naughty 9 and you can get a special price of only $0.99 first week only!
Where to Buy NOLA Naughty 9
Here’s a little teaser from Change of Heart!
Change of Heart is part of the NOLA Naughty 9 anthology.
Includes CHANGE OF HEART by Liv Rancourt
NOLA Naughty 9
Guilty pleasure. Perfect Sin.
New Orleans gets in your blood. Like sweet chocolate or a decadent bite. Ancient mysteries hide behind hidden doorways, and messy love happens in the dim bar lights of the French Quarter. Follow us through nine tales of love found through need, pain, desire, and inhuman temptations. Contemporary, paranormal, menage, or gender bending, we’ve got it all, in one perfect package. Just like the city itself.
9 Erotic Romance Tales in the Big Easy
Did I mention…
You can also read the first three chapters of Vespers here.
Also:
Meet Liv Rancourt
More about Vespers
More about the Hours of the Night
July 29, 2016
Kelly Jensen: Bunkhouse Chili Recipe & Giveaway
Send to KindleKelly’s back! She’s got an awesome chili recipe you can either eat right away or age for primo flavor the next day. (And y’all, I just love the kind of dishes that get better overnight.) She’s also got a peek at her new release – a fun paranormal, Best in Show, (on my e-reader, now!) AND she’s giving stuff away (scroll down!). Now, aren’t you glad you stopped by?
KELLY: Sleep On It!Sleeping on it is practical advice for big decisions. Sometimes we need a little distance before we commit. This is something Julian Wilkes understands very well—he’s a methodical man. As a mystery writer, he’s used to plotting, cataloguing facts and considering everything before committing. He orders his days by moving from one comfort zone to another. He plans his meals a week in advance and spends a day cooking. Adopting a pet will disrupt his ordered life, but Julian is above all else a people pleaser, so if his sister thinks he needs a pet, then he will get a pet.
Enter Macavity Birch, Julian’s opposite. Mac is impulsive, disorganised and directionless. He never sleeps on it. Why, when opportunity is right there? While his reckless nature often lands him in trouble, Mac has a sweet and generous heart, however. His pranks aren’t ill-intentioned. More, he’s simply looking for his place in the world, for his thing. For something he cares about more than the fun of day to day.
When he is adopted by Julian (who thinks Mac as a cat is just a rather large, but ordinary ginger tabby), Mac feels an instant affinity with the mystery writer. They seem to have nothing in common, but Mac can see that Julian is a Nice Guy, and…that appeals. Really, really appeals. Mac finds he enjoys being cared for, and in return, he enjoys returning that care. He also really enjoys Julian’s cooking, in particular, Julian’s chili.
Here’s Julian’s recipe, which comes from my own personal collection! Like most stews and casseroles, this is one you’ll want to sleep on. It’s delicious the day you make it, especially if you make it in the morning and let it sit on the stove all day. Just heat it through before serving. Or make it the day before so that the flavours have all night to mingle.
Bunkhouse Chili
2 lbs. lean beef for stew (chuck), cut into ½ inch cubes
2 tbsp. vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 cup celery, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (16oz) diced tomatoes
1½ cups beer
1 cup barbeque sauce
2 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. salt
¼ tsp. pepper
2 cans (15oz) beans (red kidney or pinto), drained
In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat the oil and brown the beef one layer at a time. Add green pepper, onion, celery and garlic and sauté until slightly softened. Stir in tomatoes, beer, barbeque sauce, chili powder, oregano, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for one hour, stirring occasionally. Add kidney beans and simmer uncovered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.
To serve: ladle into bowls and sprinkle with shredded cheese, corn chips, green onions and/or sour cream. Having some bread on hand to wipe around the bowl afterwards is also a good idea!
Excerpt from Best in Show“Everything all right?” Julian asked, coming into the room.
Mac let out a sigh, which wasn’t as satisfying in cat form, and looked away.
“Aren’t you going to change? I wanted to finish talking about the journal. You should read it first, or I can just sum it up for you.”
The journal. Right. Julian had been telling him something about that when Alicia had arrived.
“You’re upset about me locking you out while I napped, aren’t you? Look, I just needed a little time alone, okay? The past few days have been weird, and I was tired. I’ve been staying up late talking to you. And the whole ‘talking to a cat’ thing has sort of worn me out too. Trying to figure out if I’m going crazy or not. You sitting there looking at me with a disdainful cat expression isn’t helping. Will you change, please? So we can have this conversation in person?” Julian winced slightly, then rubbed the side of his head. “Or just so I know I haven’t taken a trip to crazy town.”
If Mac could chuckle at that, he would have. Asking a cat to change into a man in order to confirm he hadn’t gone nuts?
“I made coffee and heated up the leftover chili. It’s really good after a few days. Gives the flavors time to mingle.”
With another unsatisfactory sigh, Mac stood and wandered toward Julian. He leaned against Julian’s leg, nudging him toward the door. Julian took the hint and stepped back outside of the bedroom, giving Mac some privacy to shift. It wasn’t really the naked thing, or a secrecy thing. Julian had seen him naked and had seen him shift. The thought of both had Mac flushing lightly beneath his fur. More, it was that the pain increased every time he changed, and he didn’t want Julian to see that. And maybe he needed a moment to himself too.
Julian was waiting downstairs with the promised coffee and meal.
“Thanks.” Mac slid into his customary seat at the kitchen table and smiled as he realized he had a usual spot. His smile dimmed as he further realized this wasn’t a forever deal. He didn’t actually live with Julian. Well, he did now but wouldn’t once the curse was done. Would they remain friends afterward?
They were friends, right?
“Need me to heat the chili up again?”
“No, it’s fine.” It was better than fine. “You’re a really good cook.”
“Thanks. I don’t cook every night. I sort of go crazy for a day, every week or so, and cook a lot of meals. That way, when I get all caught up in my writing or whatever, I’ve got good stuff to choose from. Otherwise I’d probably live on frozen pizza.”
“I do live on frozen pizza.”
“Don’t you live with your parents?”
“I live on their property, but I try not to do meals and stuff with them. Otherwise it’d be like I’d never left.” Which he hadn’t, really.
“Did you go to college?”
“I did a couple years.” Mac shrugged. “I basically failed out after not being able to decide what I wanted to study and making a half-assed job at taking in whatever I did end up studying. I don’t think I’m a college kind of guy.” Time to change the subject. “So, want to tell me about the journal? The rest of the story?”
Best in Show
Solitary mystery writer Julian Wilkes doesn’t want a pet, but his sister persuades him to visit Lingwood Animal Rescue, where he is immediately taken with a large ginger tabby cat. Before he can settle into the joys of cat ownership, however, he discovers something very unusual about his new companion.
Macavity Birch is cursed. By day he is a large tabby cat. At night he can be himself—a human male with ginger hair and oddly yellow eyes. He didn’t mean to end up in the animal rescue, but he never meant any harm when playing the prank that resulted in his curse, either. Happily, Julian adopts him. But while exploring his host’s home, he discovers the diary of a long-dead relative.
Unfortunately, not all of Mac’s ancestors are dead and buried. His great-great-great-grandmother is very much alive, and she’s a powerful witch who doesn’t take kindly to the sharing of family secrets. When Mac reveals himself to Julian in order to save him from bigger trouble, he achieves just the opposite, plunging Julian deeper into a magical mystery with him.
Amazon | B&N | Kobo | ARe | Dreamspinner Press
About Kelly Jensen
If aliens ever do land on Earth, Kelly will not be prepared, despite having read over a hundred stories of the apocalypse. Still, she will pack her precious books into a box and carry them with her as she strives to survive. It’s what bibliophiles do.
Kelly is the author of a number of novels, novellas and short stories, including the Chaos Station series, co-written with Jenn Burke. A lot of what she writes is speculative in nature, but sometimes it’s just about a guy losing his socks and/or burning dinner. Because life isn’t all conquering aliens and mountain peaks. Sometimes finding a happy ever after is all the adventure we need.
Connect with Kelly: Twitter | Facebook | Website
Giveaway!
Prize: A copy of When Was the Last Time and Out in the Blue plus a $25 credit at the Dreamspinner Press store.
Terms: Rafflecopter runs from 12:00 AM EST 7/23/2016 to 12:00 AM EST 8/3/2016. Giveaway is open internationally. Gift card value is US dollars. Winner will be contacted via email.
July 15, 2016
Cover Reveal: Nola Naughty 9 – 99 cents!
Send to KindleHi everyone – I’m super excited to participate in a cover reveal today. (OMG – is this cover not BEAUTIFUL?) I have a special interest in this anthology. Can you guess what? If you saw
Liv Rancourt
‘s name among the authors, you’re on the right track! Liv’s story,
Change of Heart
, is written in the Vespers world. While not technically a prequel, it will have your first glimpse of Thaddeus Dupont. Thaddeus makes a cameo appearance as the mysterious, wealthy gentlemen who comes to Clarabelle’s aid. Right now you can pre-order
NOLA Naughty 9
, including
Change of Heart
, for only $0.99 – so make sure and check it out!
Only $0.99 for a limited time!
Amazon | B&N | IBooks | Kobo
NOLA Naughty 9
Guilty pleasure. Perfect Sin.
New Orleans gets in your blood. Like sweet chocolate or a decadent bite. Ancient mysteries hide behind hidden doorways, and messy love happens in the dim bar lights of the French Quarter. Follow us through nine tales of love found through need, pain, desire, and inhuman temptations. Contemporary, paranormal, menage, or gender bending, we’ve got it all, in one perfect package. Just like the city itself.
9 Erotic Romance Tales in the Big Easy
Bayou Shadows by Erzabet Bishop
Voodoo dreams and buried lies bring Delia to New Orleans. A sexy shifter with secrets of his own might just get her to stay…
Sultry by Amanda Byrnes
Ash is really fuckin’ tired of being a virgin. Rory’s suddenly got an urge to seduce him. But can their friendship survive?
Sinfully Hot by Tina Donahue
A hotter-than-sin reaper. A badass demon. Hell doesn’t get steamier than this.
Playing with Fire by Margaret Madigan
When Vlad Golakov is sent to New Orleans to find a missing woman, he plans to get the job done quickly, then enjoy the Big Easy. He doesn’t expect to fall in love with the woman-turned-werewolf or teach the pack’s alpha that when you play with fire, you’re bound to get burned.
Creole Corsair by Wren Michaels
Sabine Chauvet needs closure on her family’s past. But when she runs into Jasper Carrington, her old high school crush, the one thing in her past she wasn’t searching for finds her instead.
Phenomenal by LeTeisha Newton
We all lose, and it snatches our souls right out our chests. When I lost her, I wanted to destroy the world with the same bloody hands I used to pound my enemies. When I win her back, she won’t get away again. I’ll risk my life for it.
Change of Heart by Liv Rancourt
Preacher always said New Orleans was a den of sin, so of course Clarabelle had to see for herself…
An Evening at Crossroads by Kate Richards
They broke every taboo, an ancient vampire, an exotic shifter on the run sharing gay romance under the roof of the newest and most daring club in New Orleans
Lion of Frenchman Street by Teresa Noelle Roberts
When saxophonist Peter Lyons invites New Orleans newcomer Kelsey into his world of jazz and kinky sex, his dominance ignites her body and his music speaks to her soul. But Peter’s hiding old pain and when Kelsey’s offered a job out of town, everything goes out of tune.
Make sure you visit Liv online – we’ll both be sharing VESPERS news starting next month!
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | NEWSLETTER
HOSTED BY:
July 1, 2016
Alice Orr: Two Generations of Spicy Rubbing
Send to KindleHey, y’all. Please welcome Alice Orr back to the blog! I know how you all like the spice, and Alice has just the thing for your summer barbecues!
Alice:Even though I write Romantic Suspense novels, this isn’t a post about love scenes. The rubbing reference has to do with cooking. Specifically, dry rubbing. Okay. Simmer down. I can hear your smirks all the way over here.
I use dry rubs a lot. I like to apply them early in the day and let them sink in deep. I said, “Simmer down, and I mean it!” All right. Let’s start again.
The following two recipes are from myself and my daughter. She’s more to the point and calls hers an All-Purpose Rub because it can be used many more ways than just to season a cut of meat for barbecue or roasting. I use mine whenever I want to add a little pizazz to something. I heard that snigger in the corner by the way.
I add my rub to salad dressings, sauces, egg dishes, casseroles and definitely soups. Also to anything that tends toward blandness, like certain fish fillets or almost any cut of pork. Even meatloaf benefits from a teaspoon or tablespoon sprinkled in, to your particular taste.
Be creative to suit your palate and your family’s tummies. For example, my ingredient combo is less spicy than my daughter’s, and she toned hers down for my husband. She prefers dishes that have “Diablo” in the title. Not me. Each recipe makes approximately a cup and a half of rub.
So, add or subtract at will and definitely experiment, as long as all of the additions are dry, not moist or liquid. Which I know has a naughty connotation too. I write in a naughty genre after all.
Alice’s Herb-Spice Rub
Ingredients
¼ cup Paprika
2 Tbsp. Chili Powder
2 Tbsp. Brown Sugar
1 Tbsp. Lite Salt
1 to 2 Tbsp. Garlic Powder
1 to 2 Tbsp. Onion Powder
2 to 3 Tbsp. Dried Basil
2 to 3 Tbsp. Dried Parsley
1 Tbsp. Cilantro – optional
Kathleen’s Nine-Spice All-Purpose Rub (for Jonathan)
Ingredients
1/3 cup Coarse Salt
¼ cup Brown Sugar, dry
¼ cup Paprika
2 Tbsp. Ground Black Pepper
2 Tbsp. Dried Oregano
2 Tbsp. Dried Thyme
1 Tbsp. Dried Parsley
1 Tbsp. Chili Powder
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
Instructions
Whisk all ingredients thoroughly together in a bowl.
Store in a tightly sealed jar
And please think about that naughty nature of yours. Maybe you should consider nurturing it further by reading A Villain for Vanessa – Riverton Road Romantic Suspense Book 4.
A Villain for Vanessa by Alice OrrA story of tangled roots and tormented love.
Two families are shaken to their roots. Vanessa Westerlo must find her roots. Bobby Rizzo is torn between Vanessa and his true roots. They are all tormented by love – past and too present. Meanwhile a man has been murdered. And that is the most tormented tangle of all.
Alice Orr is known for Delicious Suspense spiced with Romance.
She does it again in A Villain for Vanessa.
A Villain for Vanessa is Book 4 of the Riverton Road Romantic Suspense series set in remote Riverton, New York. This story features the Kalli family and the fortunate people who find safety and welcome at the Kalli homestead on Riverton Road. A Wrong Way Home is Book 1 of the series and A Year of Summer Shadows is Book 2. A Vacancy at the Inn is Book 3 and introduces the Miller family of Riverton Road Hill.
About Alice Orr“Alice Orr is a brilliant writer who has a number one best seller in her pocket,” says one Amazon reviewer. Alice loves to write. Especially romantic suspense novels and blog posts. She’s been a workshop leader, book editor and literary agent. Now she lives her dream of writing full-time. So far she’s published fifteen novels, three novellas and a memoir – either traditionally or independently. Alice wrote her nonfiction book, No More Rejections: 50 Secrets to Writing a Manuscript that Sells, as a gift to the writers’ community. A revised edition is now in progress. Amazon says, “This book has it all.” And calls her novels, “Delicious well written suspense spiced with a love story.” Most of all, Alice is thrilled to hear from readers. Visit her at her website http://www.aliceorrbooks.com. Alice has two grown children and two perfect grandchildren and lives with her husband Jonathan in New York City.
Visit Alice Online:
April 4, 2016
Infamous 99 Cent Sale
Send to Kindle
Sale Alert!
Infamous is on sale for $0.99 right now (or FREE if you are a Kindle Unlimited subscriber).
Remember, you can read the full first chapter here.
Socialite Meets Soccer Dad – $0.99 for a Limited Time
Socialite meets soccer dad….
Four years ago it was pure Hollywood – the windswept beach, the whirlwind romance, the run-away marriage. Unfortunately, the ride into the sunset didn’t survive the publication of the bride’s tell-all book two months after she said ‘I Do’.
Reclusive venture capitalist Morgan Riley isn’t interested in fame. He prefers a quiet life in the suburbs. For his daughter’s sake, he agrees to give his notorious wife another chance to be part of their family. Even though she’s back at home and fulfilling all his late-night fantasies, he can’t help wonder if she misses her high-profile lifestyle and famous friends.
Everyone knows Jessica Sinclair. She’s that girl on the cover of all the tabloids. As a Hollywood insider, Jessica has spent her life partying with A-list celebrities, shopping on Rodeo Drive, and living through scandal after scandal. When her estranged husband offers her a second chance at the ‘All American’ lifestyle she can’t pass up a shot at real happiness. Back in suburbia, Jessica spends her nights in sexy role-play hoping Morgan will overlook her deficiencies as a homemaker. She spends her days attending P.T.A. meetings, burning cookies, and asking herself ‘What would June Cleaver do?’ More to the point, what will Morgan do when she winds up back in the tabloids–with his teenage daughter right next to her?
February 16, 2016
Tall Order Release Day!
Send to Kindle1 Very Tall Guy. 1 Broody Chef. 1 Very Small Car.It’s release day for Dylan and Win and Izzie!
I absolutely loved writing this story for the Romancing Austin anthology and apparently readers loved my quirky South Austin guys, too. I’ve had so much positive feedback, I decided it was time to send Dylan, Win, and Izzie out into the world on their lonesome.
Here’s where you can find Tall Order:
Amazon | ARe | Kobo | IBooks | B&N
Chef Dylan Trevino screwed up bad, and he knows it. When he left Texas, his job, and his boyfriend behind, Dylan was confident Aston would follow him to New York. Now he’s back home and working for the worst caterer in Austin just to pay the rent. Being head chef at a party thrown by a famous rocker doesn’t make up for serving bland tacos while dressed like a dime-store cowboy. Thank god his ex can’t see him now.
Aston Winkler’s steampunk guitar mods are all the rage with musicians and he’s got invites to every hot party in town. Too bad he’d rather be listening to garage bands than networking in a penthouse. From his 6’7″ vantage point, Aston has no problem spotting Dylan at the crowded SXSW party. Getting his boyfriend back? That’s a tall order.
Where to Buy Tall Order
Amazon | ARe | Kobo | IBooks | B&N
February 11, 2016
Kelly Jensen: Sweetheart Scallops Recipe for Valentines
Send to KindleHappy Valentine’s Day weekend! Kelly Jensen is here with a scallop recipe that is elegant enough for a Valentine’s Day meal and easy enough to make any time. I’m drooling a little right now and seriously considering having Bones make this recipe for our own Valentine’s Day. (I will assist by uncorking the wine!)
Don’t forget to check out Kelly’s new book, When Was the Last Time.
Enjoy!
Kelly:My husband and I have a Valentine’s tradition we cherish. We plan a menu, cook together, and we eat in the proper dining room instead of in the kitchen. Our menus vary. We both like to cook and we’re both adventurous eaters, so our planning usually begins with a theme: a style of cuisine, the food of a particular country or region, or an ingredient we’d both like to try. We’ve roasted, broiled and fried, made chocolate truffles, rolled up sushi, and learned how to poach fish. We’ve eaten a lot of good food—but sometimes the simplest recipes are the most memorable.
Sweetheart Scallops take about ten minutes to make. No kidding. Prep consists of chopping a shallot and a green onion, juicing a lemon and dropping a little flour into a dish. That’s it. Oh, and opening a bottle of white wine—a glass for you and half a cup for the sauce.
You can serve anything alongside these scallops. Their flavour is delicate, so keep that in mind. We usually go for a little linguini or polenta—both work well with the sauce—and a green vegetable. You could also soak up the sauce with some crusty bread. On to the recipe!
Sweetheart Scallops Recipe
Serves 2. Prep: 5 minutes, Cook time: 5-7 minutes
Ingredients
½ lb Scallops (they should be nice and plump, bought fresh)
Flour
Salt/Pepper
Oil
¼ cup shallots, chopped
2 tablespoons green onions, chopped
½ cup white wine (use something you’d like to drink)
Parsley, finely chopped (I like the curly variety for this dish)
Lemon juice (to taste)
Black pepper
Heat oil in a large skillet. Pat the scallops dry and roll through flour lightly seasoned with salt and pepper. Dust off and pan fry until golden (a couple of minutes a side). Remove the scallops from the pan and set them aside aside. Toss the onions and shallots into the hot oil and turn over a couple of times. You’re not really cooking them, just warming them to the point where they become fragrant. Add the wine and stir until your sauce is smooth. Add the lemon juice, parsley and black pepper.
To serve, arrange the scallops on a plate and pour a little sauce over them.
That’s it! Nice and simple, eh? In When Was the Last Time, Paul tries to cook salmon for his partner, Evan. He burns it. I’d like to think he’d have an easier time with this recipe, but seeing as he’s the sort to be easily distracted, probably not. Maybe the short cooking time would help.
Excerpt from When Was the Last Time
Fat hissed and spat, stinging the back of his hand.
“Crap.”
He jerked back, forgetting he was holding a skillet, and the whole sizzling, smoky mess moved away from the stove with him. Taking the pan off the heat helped. His hand was only being burned every three seconds now, instead of three times a second. He waved the smoke away and stared disconsolately at the scorched remains of their dinner. Salmon, looking desiccated rather than flaked. And probably stuck to the pan.
“Dammit.”
Behind him, the smoke alarm let out a test beep and then, having found its voice, screamed in earnest. Under the cacophony the front door slammed and rapid footsteps beat a path to the kitchen.
Evan skidded across the terrazzo tile, waving away the smoke, and grabbed at Paul’s arm. “Are you hurt?”
Annoyed to have been caught holding the smoldering remains of the only meal he’d tried to cook in—how long?—Paul shrugged Evan’s hand from his arm. “I’m fine. Can you open a window or something?”
Evan tightened his grip before he let go, and Paul tried not to read the quick squeeze as a metaphor. Tried not to hope Evan held that tightly to their love; that he’d squeeze as hard as he could before relinquishing it.
Paul put down the pan and grabbed a towel. He flapped it near the ceiling, pushing the smoke toward the open window. When the alarm stopped screaming, Paul’s ears continued to ring. The back of his throat ached, and he had to keep blinking tears from his eyes. He wasn’t all convinced they were from the smoke, and his hand hurt. He dropped the towel into the sink and shoved his hand under a stream of cold water. Splashed some at his face to clear the smoke from his eyes. Evan appeared next to him and slipped his fingers beneath Paul’s under the rushing water.
“This looks pretty bad, babe. What were you doing?”
“Cooking.”
Evan’s gaze cut sideways to the pan resting on the draining board. “Is that the salmon?”
“Was.”
Evan’s lips twitched. “Trying a new recipe?”
Paul shook his head. Evan studied him for a while, still holding his hand beneath the water. Paul felt his lover’s gaze move over his profile and wondered what he saw. He was two years older than Evan. Did it show? Was his slightly bent nose now all crooked and hooked, his dark stubble messy instead of sexy? Did he have too many lines around his mouth and eyes?
Evan touched Paul’s temple, smoothing a strand of hair away from his eyes. Had Evan noticed the gray creeping through his dark locks? It had been there for five years now—so he probably had.
“Hey.” Evan’s voice was barely a whisper. Paul looked at him. “It’s only dinner.”
Swallowing, Paul pulled away. Gently this time. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have tried to cook.” He could burn water if he tried hard enough. Had in fact once burned the bottom out of a pan by letting it boil dry. He got distracted so easily. Windows, wallpaper, shadows on walls. “I just wanted to—” He pressed his lips together. Burned salmon didn’t exactly scream trying to win your love. Again. And sharing the fact he’d thought it might would just embarrass them both. He should stick to sex. No, making love. Something more meaningful than a grab and squeeze in the shower.
Paul Summerfield is stunned by the gentle reminder it has been over a year since he and his partner, Evan, have made love. He vows to take Evan out for Valentine’s Day. Dinner and sex. Lots of sex. There’s only one catch—he’s supposed to be in San Francisco that week cataloging the art collection of an important new client. No problem, he’ll just change his schedule and cut his trip short by a day.
In San Francisco, Paul struggles with regrets and the fear his love is slipping away from him. Every call to Evan seems only to prove the distance between them is increasing. All this, and a key piece of his client’s catalog is caught up in customs. To keep their Valentine’s date, Paul will have to choose between the career he’s built over fifteen years and the man he’s loved for just as long.
Amazon | Amazon UK | B&N | Kobo | ARe | Dreamspinner Press
About Kelly
If aliens ever do land on Earth, Kelly will not be prepared, despite having read over a hundred stories of the apocalypse. Still, she will pack her precious books into a box and carry them with her as she strives to survive. It’s what bibliophiles do.
Kelly is the author of a number of novels, novellas and short stories, including the Chaos Station series, co-written with Jenn Burke. At lot of what she writes is speculative in nature, but sometimes it’s just about a guy losing his socks and/or burning dinner. Because life isn’t all conquering aliens and mountain peaks. Sometimes finding a happy ever after is all the adventure we need.
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